List of World War II weapons of the United Kingdom

This is a list of various weapons and vehicles used in World War II by the United Kingdom.

Small Arms

Rifles

*De Lisle Silent Carbine - Specialist issue, very low number produced.
*Enfield Pattern 14 (P14) - Used as a marksman weapon until the No.IV Mk.I(T) was introduced, also issued in large number to the LDV.
*M1917 Enfield - Issued to LDV.
*Lee Enfield No.1 Mk.III* - Lee Enfield rifle in service at the beginning of the war, supplemented and replaced by the No.4 Mk.I by mid-war.
*Lee Enfield No.4 Mk.1 + No.4 Mk.I(T) - Lee Enfield rifle that replace the No.I Mk.III* in larger numbers mid-war.
*Lee Enfield No.5 Mk.I "Jungle Carbine" - Introduced in 1944 to replace the longer No.1 Mk.III*, and No.4 Mk.I rifles for when in use in the jungles of the Far East.
*M1 Garand - American rifle, used in small quantities by special units.
*M1 & M1A1 Carbine - American rifle, used in small quantities by special units.

Submachine Guns

*Lanchester - British submachine gun, developed from the German MP28, used by the Royal Navy & Royal Air Force.
*Sten - British submachine gun from late 1941/early 1942, to the end of the war.
*Thompson - American submachine gun used in large numbers until the Sten gun was introduced.

Machine Guns

*Bren - Light machine gun through the whole of the war.
*Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) - Issued to LDV
*Lewis Gun - In service with some infantry at outbreak of war in small numbers, issued to LDV for the rest of the war.
*Vicker Gas Operated (VGO) "Vickers K" - Aircraft machinegun, used in specialist roles on LRDG and SAS vehicles, as well as a short-lived infantry machine gun with the Commandos.
*Vickers Medium Machine Gun - Standard medium machine gun of the British Army since 1912.
*Browning M1919 - Mounted on many lend-lease vehicles.
*Browning M2 - Mounted on many lend-lease vehicles.
*Machine Gun, 7.92 mm BESA and 15 mm BESA - British versions of the Czech ZB53 (Model 37) machine gun used as tank and armoured car armament only.

Handguns

*Enfield No.2 Mk.1 Revolver
*Webley Revolver - many marks in .38 and .455 calibres
*Smith & Wesson M&P
*Browning FN-Inglis "Pistol No.II Mk.I*"
*Colt M1911A1
*Webley No.I Mk.I - (Automatic pistol in .455 inch). Issued to the Royal Navy
*Welrod - silenced pistol

Grenades

*Grenade, Hand or Rifle, No.36M Mk.I "Mills Bomb"
*"Grenade, Rifle No.68 /AT" HEAT (High Explosive Anti-Tank) Rifle Grenade
*No.69 Mk.I Bakelite Concussion Hand Grenade
*No.76, Special Incendiary Phosphorus Hand Grenade
*No.73 Anti-Tank Hand Grenade "Thermos Grenade"
*Grenade, Hand, No.74 ST "Sticky Bomb"
*No.75 Anti-Tank Hand Grenade "Hawkins Grenade"/"Hawkins Mine"
*No.77 White Phosphorus Hand Grenade
*Grenade, Hand, No. 82 "Gammon Bomb"

Other

*No.II Mk.II Flamethrower "Lifebuoy"
*Lewes bomb - Used by the SAS

Infantry Anti-Tank Weapons

*Rifle, Anti-Tank, .55in, Boys "Boys Anti-Tank Rifle" - Infantry anti-tank weapon (prewar - 1943).
*Projector, Infantry, Anti-Tank (PIAT) - Infantry anti-tank weapon (1943 until end of war)

Artillery, including mortars

Anti-Tank Guns

*Ordnance QF 2 pounder
*Ordnance QF 6 pounder
*Ordnance QF 17 pounder

Guns and Howitzers

*Ordnance QF 25 pounder Gun-howitzer
*BL 5.5 inch Medium Gun
*BL 4.5 inch Medium Field Gun
*BL 7.2 inch Howitzer Mk.I
*BL 8 inch Howitzer
*60-pounder
*M1 and M8 75 mm "Pack Howitzers"
*3.7 inch Mountain Howitzer
*Smith Gun - Home Guard use only

Anti-Aircraft Artillery

*20 mm Oerlikon
*20 mm Polsten
*40 mm Bofors
*QF 3 inch 20 cwt
*QF 3.7-inch L/50
*114 mm 4.5-inch L/45

Mortars

*2 Inch Mortar
*3 Inch Mortar
*Blacker Bombard
*Northover projector - Home Guard use

Vehicles

"see also List of World War II military vehicles by country, United Kingdom"

Light Tanks

*Light Tank Mk.VI
*Light Tank Mk.VII Tetrarch
*General Stuart
*Locust
*Chaffee

Medium Tanks

*Tank, Medium, Mk.II - Used in small scale in the early battles in North Africa, from then; dug into ground with turret protruding for defence, in North Africa, & Great Britain.
*General Grant - Medium Tank M3, purchased from America, with turret built to British specification.
*General Lee - Medium Tank M3, provided by Lend-Lease from America.
*General Sherman - Medium Tank M4, provided by Lend-Lease from America.
**Sherman Firefly - Sherman tank, rearmed with a British 17pdr gun.

Cruiser Tanks

*Tank, Cruiser, Mk.I (A9)
*Tank, Cruiser, Mk.II (A10)
*Tank, Cruiser, Mk.III (A13)
*Tank, Cruiser, Mk.IV (A13 Mk.II)
*Tank, Cruiser, Mk.V, Covenator (A13 Mk.III)
*Tank, Cruiser, Mk.VI, Crusader (A15)
*Tank, Cruiser, Mk.VII, Cavalier (A24) - Regular tank not used in combat, OP and ARV tank used.
*Tank, Cruiser Mk.VIII, Centaur (A27L)
*Tank, Cruiser, Mk.VIII, Cromwell (A27M)
*Tank, Cruiser, Mk.VIII, Challenger (A30)
*Tank, Cruiser, Comet I (A34)
*Tank, Cruiser, Centurion I (A41) - Entered service too late to see combat service.

Infantry Tanks

*Tank, Infantry, Mk.I, Matilda I (A11)
*Tank, Infantry, Mk.II, Matilda II (A12)
*Tank, Infantry, Mk.III Valentine
*Tank, Infantry, Mk.IV, Churchill (A22)
*Tank, Infantry, Valiant (A38) - prototype only.
*Infantry Tank Black Prince (A43) - prototype only.

Other tanks

*"Tank, Heavy Assault, A33 (Excelsior)" - prototype only
*Tortoise heavy assault tank - prototype only

elf-propelled guns

*Self Propelled 17pdr, Valentine, Mk.I, Archer
*3in SP. Wolverine - Gun Motor Carriage M10, provided under Lend-Lease from America.
**17pdr SP. Achilles - rearmed with 17 pdr gun
*AEC Mk I Gun Carrier "Deacon"
*Carrier, Valentine, 25pdr gun, Mk.I, Bishop
*25pdr SP, tracked, Sexton
*SP 17pdr, A30 (Avenger) - Order not fulfilled until post-war.
*105 mm SP, Priest - 105 mm Howitzer Motor Carriage M7, provided under Lend-Lease from America.
*M3(T12) 75 mm Howitzer Motor Carriage - Provided under Lend-Lease from America. In British service designated "75 mm SP, Autocar".
*T48 57 mm Gun Motor Carriage - 680 provided by Lend-Lease from America. Many had gun removed to convert them back to Armoured Personnel Carriers.
*Multiple Gun Motor Carriage M14 - Provided by Lend-Lease from America. Many had guns removed to convert them back to Armoured Personnel Carriers.

Other Armoured Fighting Vehicles

*Universal Carrier
*Loyd Carrier
*Half-track Car M2 - Provided under Lend-Lease by US.
*Half-track Car M3 - Provided under Lend-Lease by US.
*Half-track Personnel Carrier M3 - Provided under Lend-Lease by US.
*Half-track Personnel Carrier M5 - Provided under Lend-Lease by US.

*4-ton amphibian, Terrapin - amphibious personnel carrier

Utility Vehicles

* Willys Jeep

Bomber Ordnance

*"Bouncing bombs"
**"Upkeep"
**"Highball"

*Tallboy bomb
*Grand Slam bomb

*Blockbuster bombs:4,000 lb HC ("High Capacity"):8,000 lb HC:12,000 lb HC

ee also

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